Written Answers

Wednesday 14 June 2000

Scottish Executive

Access to Information

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is towards access to any governmental records held in Scotland which are presently closed to researchers for periods from 30 to 100 years.

Mr Jim Wallace: No file is totally closed. Any file may be made available to those who have a legal right to see it, and any decision on access by researchers is made in the spirit of the Code of Practice on Access to Scottish Executive Information introduced on 1 July 1999.

  It is the policy of the Scottish Executive that as few files as possible should be subject to a "closure" period of more than thirty years, and a programme carried out in 1995 to examine all files in this category ensured that only very sensitive, mainly personal ones, are still not openly accessible.

  Policy in this whole area will be reviewed in the context of the forthcoming Freedom of Information legislation.

Agriculture

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many students enrolled with the Scottish Agricultural College in each of the last five years.

Mr John Home Robertson: The table below shows the number of Full Time Equivalent (FTE) students who enrolled at SAC in each of the last five years:

  


Year


FTE Student




1995-96


1,180




1996-97


1,176




1997-98


1,240




1998-99


1,201




1999-2000


1,130 (at May 2000)*




  *This figure is anticipated to increase by year-end to take account of training, SVQ and part-time students.

Community Action

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to announce the outcome of its consultations on the draft volunteering and community action plan.

Jackie Baillie: Supporting Active Communities in Scotland , the draft strategy prepared by the Scottish Active Communities Working Group, was published for consultation on 31 January. Over 120 responses have been received and are currently being analysed. These will inform the Scottish Executive’s response to the recommendations contained in the working group’s report, which we hope to be able to announce soon.

Community Care

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide an estimate, by local authority area, of the shortage of high support and medium support housing units required to meet the needs of people with severe learning difficulties; what is the actual and projected spend on such units by local authority for the current year and each of the next two years, and whether it has a different policy for supporting those who are coming out of residential care into the community and those who are coming from a family care environment as to their eligibility for such units.

Jackie Baillie: Information on the shortage of high support and medium support housing units by local authority area to meet the needs of people with severe learning disabilities is not held or collected centrally.

  Levels of actual and estimated spend on such units owned by local authorities are a matter for local authorities themselves to determine in the light of local estimates of need.

  It is also for local authorities to determine how such units are allocated.

Community Safety

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to encourage the formation of Community Safety Partnerships.

Angus MacKay: We have published strategic guidance to assist consistency of approach across Community Safety Partnerships which is being enhanced with training for community safety practitioners. We are also supporting five Pathfinder partnerships to identify good policy practice and to identify gaps in provision or process. A report will be published in November at the second annual conference on community safety. Funding of £1.2 million has also been made available to partnerships to support specific community safety projects and a further £1.5 million has been made available for 2001-02.

Community Safety

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider introducing legislation on community safety.

Angus MacKay: There is currently no plan to do so. Since the launch of the joint community safety strategy with CoSLA and ACPOS in 1998, all Scottish local authorities and police forces have participated in multi-agency activity designed to improve safety in their communities without the need to legislate.

Community Safety

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to review its funding of community safety initiatives in order to assess whether they can be adapted to provide incentives for longer-term resource planning and support partnership strategic priorities.

Angus Mackay: Whilst we   have no plans to do so at this particular time, the Executive is aware of the recommendations made in the Account Commission’s study of community safety partnerships in Scotland Safe and Sound , published last month by Audit Scotland, particularly those regarding resource planning. We will take account of these recommendations in considering the future funding for community safety projects.

Education

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why time dedicated to maths and science is less than the OECD average for Scottish pupils aged 12-14.

Mr Sam Galbraith: The comparisons made by OECD can only be regarded as approximate as for most countries the figures used are based on a prescribed curriculum.

  The figures stated for Scotland by OECD represent only the minimum of time to be spent on maths and science contained in the Structure and Balance guidelines. The actual curriculum data for Scotland for 1997 indicates that pupils in S1 and S2 spent 22% of their time on maths and science rather than the recommended minimum time of 20% assumed by the OECD.

  Within the Scottish curriculum guidelines there is a 20% flexibility factor which schools are encouraged to use for activities which reflect their own needs and circumstances. Schools may choose to allocate some of this time to maths and science.

Education

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many hours a week of physical education pupils in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools should receive and which local authorities have yet to achieve these targets for the last year for which figures were available.

Mr Sam Galbraith: In Scotland there is no statutory amount of time required for any curriculum area or subject. However, in the 5-14 curriculum (covering P1-S2), national guidelines recommend that education authorities and schools have a minimum time allocation of 15% for the expressive arts (including physical education). In addition, Scottish curriculum guidelines include a 20% flexibility factor which schools are encouraged to use for activities which reflect their own needs and circumstances. Some schools may choose to use some of this time for physical education.

  For secondary schools approximately 90 minutes of physical education per week is received by S1 and S2 pupils and 115 minutes per week by S3 and S4 pupils. For S5 and S6 pupils there is no nationally recommended minimum time allocation for physical education. However, around 5,500 pupils in S5 and S6 participated in National Certificate or Higher courses in physical education this year.

  Information on the average number of hours of physical education received by pupils in primary schools is not collected by the Scottish Executive.

Employment

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its plans are for tackling unemployment in Hamilton and Bellshill.

Henry McLeish: I would refer Mr Neil to the answer which I gave to his earlier question on this subject on Thursday 8 June (S1W-7197).

Employment

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its plans are for tackling unemployment in Kilmarnock and Loudoun.

Henry McLeish: I refer the member to the answer I gave to question S1W-7200.

Engineering Industry

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is a shortfall of university applications in the field of engineering and, if so, what the shortfall is.

Henry McLeish: Figures are not held centrally on any targets set by individual higher education institution for the number of applications to engineering courses.

  As at 16 May 2000, there had been 11,669 applications for engineering and technology courses to Scottish institutions for entry in 2000. However, the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) process still has some way to go and final figures will not be available until autumn 2000.

  The last year for which final figures are available, in 1999-2000, there were 13,370 applications, resulting in 2,658 acceptances in engineering and technology.

Enterprise

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has considered the theories set out by Jonas Ridderstale and Kjell Nordstrom in their book Funky Business and, if so, what conclusions it has drawn and whether they will have any implications for its own working practices and its policies on the working practices of Scottish business.

Henry McLeish: The Scottish Executive is continually modernising its working practices and encourages all other organisations to do the same. The Executive is receptive to a range of current thinking in this area.

Enterprise

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of information communications technology training by it and its agencies for each of the past two years and the current year, broken down by local enterprise company area.

Henry McLeish: This is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise and I have asked the respective chairmen to reply to the member. A copy of the replies will be placed in SPICe.

Enterprise

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of financial assistance for new businesses starting up by it and its agencies for each of the past two years and the current year, broken down by local enterprise company area.

Henry McLeish: The Scottish Executive provides direct financial assistance to businesses under its SMART scheme and through Regional Selective Assistance (RSA). A total of £1.1 million was awarded in grants under SMART in the financial year 1998-99, £1.6 million in 1999-2000 and £0.3 million in the period 1 April 2000 to 31 May 2000. These grants were made, in the main, to new start-up and very early stage businesses.

  A further £1 million was provided to new businesses under the Scottish Executive’s SPUR Programme in 1998-99, £1.5 million in 1999-2000 and £0.2 million in the first two months of the current financial year.

  Financial assistance under the RSA scheme is available to both new start and established businesses. Data on assistance offered under RSA, however, is not collated on the basis of the date of formation of the companies applying for grant.

  Financial assistance for new start-up businesses from local enterprise companies and their agents is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise and I have asked the chairmen of both organisations to reply to the member. A copy of the reply will be placed in SPICe.

Environment

Mr Gil Paterson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps will be taken to protect the environment when Chapelcross power station closes.

Sarah Boyack: Under the terms of the nuclear site licence issued by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE), the licensee, British Nuclear Fuels plc will be required to put in place a decommissioning plan. This would be expected to cover plans to remediate contamination on the nuclear licensed site and should show how radioactive wastes will be stored in a manner whereby the waste is immobilised and the need for maintenance, monitoring or other human intervention is minimised until all nuclear materials, including waste, have been removed from the site.

  Before starting decommissioning, British Nuclear Fuels plc will also be required to make an assessment of the environmental effects of their proposed decommissioning plan, to consult the public, and to have consent from the HSE. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and local authorities would be consulted by the HSE in that process and HSE would be required to take account of any written representations from members of the public. SEPA’s authorisation would be required in advance for disposal of any radioactive waste on or from the site or its vicinity.

Environment

Elaine Thomson (Aberdeen North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what proposals it has to develop an improved system for nature conservation.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive has already developed significant new measures to ensure the protection and enhancement of nature. We are promoting legislation on National Parks to secure the sustainable management of large parts of Scotland’s natural heritage. We have reformed agricultural support, including the development of a new Rural Stewardship Scheme to support farmers’ management of nature. We have announced an increase in SNH’s budget from £39 million in 1999-2000 to £46.5 million in 2001-02 to support positive management of the natural heritage.

  We remain committed to fulfilling our obligations under the EC Habitats and Birds Directives to protect the most important natural places in Scotland. That is why I am today identifying further sites as possible Special Areas of Conservation under the EC Habitats Directive.

  Before I decide whether to propose the 90 sites in the table below to the European Commission as candidate SACs, I want to ensure that owners and occupiers and other interested parties have been consulted about the scientific case for the proposal. The list is based on scientific advice from Scottish Natural Heritage and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee and I believe it is substantially complete. But I am also open to consideration of scientific evidence about any exceptions to the completeness of this list. I shall not make a final decision about proposing any sites to the Commission until I have considered the results of consultation.

  I believe we can still do more for Scotland’s nature. I intend as soon as possible to publish a policy statement setting out further reforms, so that we can work better with Scottish communities to look after our natural heritage. I intend in that paper to propose measures to tackle wildlife crime and measures to improve the way we work with local people to protect our most special natural places.

  


Site Name


Local Authority 
Area




Abhainn Clais An Eas and allt 
a’Mhuilinn


Highland




Achnahaird


Highland




Airds Moss


East Ayrshire




Altnaharra


Highland




Ardnamurchan Burns


Highland




Ardvar and Loch a’Mhuilinn Woodlands


Highland




Ascrib, Isay and Dunvegan


Highland




Berriedale and Langwell Waters


Highland




Borders Woods


Scottish Borders




Broubster Leans


Highland




Buchan Ness to Collieston


Aberdeenshire




Burrow Head


Dumfries & 
Galloway




Cape Wrath


Highland




Carsegowan Moss


Dumfries & 
Galloway




Cawdor Wood


Highland




Coille Mhór


Highland




Coyles of Muick


Aberdeenshire




Craighall Gorge


Perth & Kinross




Crieff Woods


Perth & Kinross




Dam Wood


Highland




Dinnet Oakwood


Aberdeenshire




Dogden (Greenlaw Moor)


Scottish Borders




Dun Moss and Forest of Alyth 
Mires


Perth & Kinross




East Caithness Cliffs


Highland




Fair Isle


Shetland Islands




Galloway Oakwoods


Dumfries and Galloway




Glen Beasdale


Highland




Glen Creran Woods


Argyll &Bute




Glenartney Juniper Wood


Perth & Kinross




Green Hill of Strathdon


Aberdeenshire




Grimersta


Na h-Eileanan an 
Iar




Inverpolly


Highland




Isle of May


Fife




Keltneyburn


Perth & Kinross




Kinloch and Kyleakin Hills


Highland




Kippenrait Glen


Stirling




Ladder Hills


Moray; Aberdeenshire




Ledmore Wood


Highland




Lismore


Argyll & Bute




Little Gruinard River


Highland




Loch a’Phuill


Argyll & Bute




Loch Achnacloich


Highland




Loch Creran


Argyll & Bute




Loch Fada


Argyll & Bute




Loch Laxford


Highland




Loch of Isbister


Orkney Islands




Loch Moidart and Loch Shiel Woods


Highland




Loch of Wester


Highland




Loch Ruthven


Highland




Loch Ussie


Highland




Lower Findhorn Woods


Moray




Methven Moss


Perth & Kinross




Mingarry Burn


Argyll & Bute




Moffat Hills


Dumfries & 
Galloway




Monadhliath


Highland




Moorfoot Hills


Scottish Borders




Mortlach Moss


Aberdeenshire




Morvern Woods


Highland




Mull Oakwoods


Argyll & Bute




Mull of Galloway


Dumfries & 
Galloway




Ness Woods


Highland




North Fetlar


Shetland Islands




Pitkeathly Mires


Perth & Kinross




Pitmedden Forest


Fife; Perth & 
Kinross




Rassal


Highland




Rigg – Bile


Highland




Rinns of Islay


Argyll & Bute




River Bladnoch


Dumfries & 
Galloway




River Dee


Aberdeenshire




River Evelix


Highland




River Moriston


Highland




River Naver and Mallart River


Highland




River Oykel


Highland




River South Esk


Angus




River Teith


Stirling




River Thurso


Highland




River Tweed 


Scottish Borders




Shelforkie


Perth & Kinross




Shingle Islands 


Perth & Kinross




Sound of Barra


Na h-Eileanan an 
Iar




St Abb’s Head to Fast Castle


Scottish Borders




Sullom Voe


Shetland Islands




Tarbert Woods


Argyll & Bute




Tayvallich Juniper and Coast


Argyll & Bute




Threepwood Moss


Scottish Borders




Treshnish Isles


Argyll & Bute




Trossachs Woods


Stirling




Tynron Juniper Wood


Dumfries & 
Galloway




Upper Nithsdale Woods


Dumfries & 
Galloway




Urquhart Bay Wood


Highland

Executive Communication

David McLetchie (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish a weekly digest of all upcoming matters of public interest, including ministerial announcements and engagements and publication dates of documents issued by it and reports addressed to it.

Mr Tom McCabe: The Scottish Executive is not in a position to publish a weekly digest of all forthcoming matters of public interest.

Fisheries

Dennis Canavan (Falkirk West): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list all protection orders made under the Freshwater and Salmon Fisheries (Scotland) Act 1976, giving details of the areas covered by each order.

Mr John Home Robertson: There are currently 13 Protection Orders, made under the Freshwater and Salmon Fisheries (Scotland) Act 1976, in force in Scotland. They are as follows:

  Loch Awe and Associated Waters Protection Order 1992 (SI 1992 No. 771)

  Loch Morar and River Morar Protection Order 1992 (SI 1992 No. 2316)

  River Arkaig, Loch Arkaig and Associated Waters Protection Order 1995 (SI 1995 No. 2683)

  River Clyde Catchment Area (Part) Protection Order 1994 (SI 1994 No. 1949)

  River Don Catchment Area (Part) Protection Order 1990 (SI 1990 No. 1971)

  River Earn Catchment Protection Order 1990 (SI 1990 No. 50)

  River Lunan Catchment Area Protection (Renewal) Order 1991 Variation Order 1994 (SI 1994 No. 2644)

  River Tay Catchment Protection (Renewal) Order 1993 Variation order 1996 (SI 1996 No. 58)

  River Tummel Catchment Area Protection (Renewal) Order 1991 Variation Order 1994 (SI 1994 No. 2623)

  Rivers Tweed and Eye Protection (Renewal) Order 1991 Variation Order 1994 (SI 1994 No. 2621)

  Upper Spey and Associated Waters Protection (Renewal) Order 1993 Variation Order 1996 (SI 1996 No. 57)

  North West Sutherland Protection Order 1994 (SI 1994 No. 3302)

  West Strathclyde Protection Order 1988 (SI 1988 No. 1516)

  Details of the areas covered by these Protection Orders are given in the individual Statutory Instruments and on page 31 of Protecting and Promoting Scotland’s Freshwater Fish and Fisheries: A Review, copies of which are in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Forestry

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what has been the number of redundancies in the forestry and related industries since May 1999.

Henry McLeish: The information requested on redundancies in the forestry and related industries is not held centrally.

Forestry

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its estimates are of forestry related exports from Scotland in each of the past three years.

Henry McLeish: The latest available data on forestry exports from Scotland are provided in the tables below:

  


 


Exports to the 
rest of the UK
(£ million)


Exports to the 
rest of the world
(£ million)




Forestry Harvesting 


1996


75.5


14.2




 


1995


52.8


7.7




1994


27.2


2.3




  Source: Scottish Input-Output Tables and Multipliers 1996, 1995, 1994; Table 3.

Health

Elaine Thomson (Aberdeen North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in the interests of public safety, it plans to introduce licensing under section 44 of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 of body piercers and/or premises which are engaged in tattooing, piercing and other bodily modification procedures.

Susan Deacon: Before any licensing of premises engaged in tattooing, piercing or modification procedures is considered under section 44 of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982, a consultation exercise will take place. This will involve public health interests, local authorities and other interested parties.

Health

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will cancel the use of silicon breast implants in the NHSiS immediately in response to the inquiry into their safety announced by the European Commission.

Susan Deacon: Medical devices are regulated at UK level by the Medical Devices Agency who advise that there are no plans to alter policy in relation to the use of silicone gel breast implants. Such policy is determined on the basis of advice on the safety of these implants provided by the Independent Review Group convened by the UK Department of Health in May 1997. This group reported in June 1998 and continues to meet to review new information on the safety of silicone gel breast implants. To date the group’s conclusion remains that the risks associated with silicone gel breast implants are similar to those of other implants. Any new findings arising from the work carried out on behalf of the European Parliament will be considered by the Independent Review Group.

Health

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail by health board area the incidence of burkholdaria cepacia in each of the last five years including details of the number of fatalities and the age groups of those affected.

Susan Deacon: Between 1995-99 29 cases of this infection were reported to the Scottish Centre for Infection and Environmental Health. The centre received no reports of fatalities as a result of this infection. The age profiles of those affected shown by health boards are detailed in the table below:

  


Year


Health Board


Age Group


Total




1995


Ayrshire & Arran


35-39, 40-44, 65+


3



 

Grampian


65+


1



 

Lanarkshire


15-19


1



 

Lothian


55-59


1
(6)




1996


Ayrshire & Arran


55-59


1



 

Argyll & Clyde


0-4


1



 

Greater Glasgow


65+


1



 

Lanarkshire


40-44


1



 

Lothian


65+


1
(5)




1997


Ayrshire & Arran


65+


1



 

Greater Glasgow


55-59


1



 

Highland


0-4


1



 

Lanarkshire


65+, 65+


2



 

Lothian


60-64


1
(6)




1998


Ayrshire & Arran


60-64


1



 

Forth Valley


age unknown


2



 

Greater Glasgow


50-54, 65+


2



 

Lanarkshire


65+


1
(6)




1999


Greater Glasgow


0-4, 0-4, 60-64, 
65+


4



 

Lothian


0-4, 65+


2
6



 
 
 

Total (29)

Health

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the Department of Health communicated with it over soya bean oil breast implants.

Susan Deacon: Medical devices are regulated at UK level by the Medical Devices Agency. The Scottish Office was informed in February 1999 of the proposed withdrawal of these implants from the market in March 1999. An Independent Expert Group was established at that point to assess the clinical risk and recommend the most appropriate action to protect public health. The Scottish Executive has been kept informed of developments since then.

  Advice has been given to all health boards and NHS Trusts and an information handout has been prepared. Information is available through the NHS Helpline and a 24-hour helpline dealing specifically with this issue has been established. The Medical Devices Agency and the manufacturer are currently developing a care package for those affected and it is envisaged that all operations to remove the implants can be completed within one year. All costs will be met by the manufacturer.

Housing

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to review the effectiveness of the national strategy for tenant participation within each local authority area.

Ms Wendy Alexander: In the case of registered social landlords this will be undertaken by Scottish Homes through its performance management system. In the case of local authorities, the Best Value regime provides a monitoring framework for the review of services in consultation with tenants.

Housing

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to review the effectiveness of the tenant consultation and participation procedures being used by South Lanarkshire Council in respect of establishing the feasibility of housing stock transfers in the area and, in particular, to assess whether the council has given due regard to the role of the South Lanarkshire Federation of Tenants.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The responsibility for consulting tenants about possible housing stock transfers lies with councils.

Justice

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of the number of (i) bank account arrestments and (ii) wage arrestments in each of the past three years.

Mr Jim Wallace: The table below sets out the information which is recorded on the number of arrestments which were executed in Scotland in each of the past three years.

  

 

Earnings Arrestments 
Executed


Non-Earnings Arrestments 
Executed


Other Arrestments




1997


88,152


89,641


4,917




1998


74,200


96,707


4,584




1999


73,464


98,613


4,612

Justice

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what number and percentage of bank account arrestments were exercised last year on people who were on benefits at the time of arrestment.

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many bank accounts arrested last year recovered sums greater than £63 and how many were of a value that exceeded the value of the debt being recovered.

Mr Jim Wallace: The information requested is not held centrally.

Land

Alex Johnstone (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the contribution from public funds has been in the last three years towards (a) the acquisition of and (b) the management of land acquired by and for the benefit of the community groups.

Henry McLeish: In the last three years The Scottish Office and the Scottish Executive have provided resources to Highlands & Islands Enterprise and Scottish Enterprise to enable them to assist projects which involve the acquisition and management of land by communities. The value of the support provided to communities by the enterprise agencies in the years 1997-98 to 1999-2000 for that purpose amounts to £2,087,100.

  Details of any corresponding local authority support are not held centrally but may be obtained from the relevant councils.

Lifelong Learning

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of spending on assistance for individual learning accounts by it and its agencies for each of the past two years and the current year, broken down by local enterprise company area.

Henry McLeish: All expenditure on Individual Learning Accounts (ILAs) has been directed through the Enterprise Network.

  During 1999-2000 the Enterprise Network spent £1.2 million on developing the ILA model and determining operational requirements, as well as piloting the design. This also included an allocation of £0.4 million to Scottish Enterprise Grampian for its pilot, of which £0.3 million was for the payment of incentives to ILA holders.

  Some further learning account projects were also run by a number of LECs, including Fife, during 1999-2000 using European Objective 4 funding together with their own discretionary funds. Information on the costs to individual LECs is not available.

  Whilst a number of spending commitments have been made in the current year, actual expenditure to date by the Enterprise Network as a whole, including the LECs, has been £30,000.

Meat

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why it was decided to create a new promotional body for the meat industry.

Ross Finnie: Quality Meat Scotland (QMS), which is not solely a meat promotional body, was formed by key meat and livestock industry interests in response to devolution. This was done in recognition that a single body would be more responsive to Scotland’s needs and to the particular challenges facing various sectors of our industry. I support the formation of QMS because I believe it will represent better value for levy money raised in Scotland.

Medical Research

Shona Robison (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what level of financial support for medical research has been provided in Scotland in each year since 1990.

Henry McLeish: Public funding of medical research in Scotland comes from three main sources – the Medical Research Council (MRC), the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council (SHEFC), and the Scottish Executive’s Chief Scientist Office. The table below shows the amounts provided (by financial year). These figures are the best estimates available at the present time.

  

 

1993-94


1994-95


1995-96


1996-97


1997-98


1998-99


1999-2000




CSO


10.6


10.1


10.7


10.6


9.9


10.8


Not available




MRC


33.5


33.9


31.5


39.5


36.7


36.1


Not available




SHEFC


18.1


17.8


17.9


18.2


20.3


20.0


22.5




TOTAL


62.2


61.8


60.1


68.3


66.9


66.9


Not available




  


NHS


Not available1


Not available1


Not available1


24.0


28.0


29.0


Not available




  Note:

  1. It is not possible to identify NHS R&D expenditure separately until 1996-97.

Multiple Sclerosis

John Scott (Ayr) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is a disproportionately high number of multiple sclerosis sufferers in the Ayrshire area compared to the rest of Scotland and, if so, why this is.

Susan Deacon: The information requested is not available centrally.

Multiple Sclerosis

John Scott (Ayr) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive why health boards in Scotland are charged more for beta interferon than comparable health bodies in other parts of the world.

Susan Deacon: Information about the price paid for beta interferon by health boards is not held centrally.

  However, for a number of reasons, direct comparisons of prices of products of this type are misleading. They are often supplied direct to hospitals, making list prices less significant; some countries include distribution costs and some aspects of care within the list price while others account for them separately; and, because products are priced in the currency of the importing country, currency movements will affect the price paid.

New Deal

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of the number of people over 50 who are on the New Deal by local enterprise company area.

Henry McLeish: Employment policy is reserved to the UK Government which takes the lead on funding and delivery of the New Deal throughout Great Britain, although in close consultation with its partners, including the Scottish Executive. Many partner organisations at local level also provide New Deal services under contract or provide funds and other resources, including training funds to enhance the quality of New Deal in their areas. The public and voluntary sector organisations which contribute in this way fall within the remit of the Scottish Executive.

  The following table shows figures for current participation and cumulative starts for over 50 year olds on New Deal 25plus by Local Enterprise Company (LEC) area at end-March 2000.

  


LEC Area


Aged 50+ Current 
participation


Aged 50+ Cumulative 
starts




Ayrshire


262


909




Borders


39


92




Dunbartonshire


157


470




Dumfries & Galloway


148


377




Fife


123


475




Forth Valley


31


83




Glasgow


485


1,259




Grampian


69


260




Lanarkshire


208


727




Lothian & Edinburgh


234


726




Renfrewshire


174


557




Tayside


220


753




Argyll & Bute


64


188




Caithness & Sutherland


66


176




Inverness & Nairn


38


116




Lochaber


12


30




Moray & Badenoch


34


122




Orkney


20


58




Ross & Cromarty


29


96




Shetland


5


29




Skye & Lochalsh


14


35




Western Isles


9


27




Totals


2,506


7,667




  The New Deal 50 plus was introduced on 5 April 2000 to provide further help for people aged over 50 in their search for work.

  Detailed management information is not yet available for New Deal 50plus.

New Deal

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many New Deal placements were made available by each local authority for the last year for which figures are available.

Henry McLeish: Employment policy is reserved to the UK Government which therefore takes the lead on the funding and delivery of New Deal throughout Great Britain, working together with its partners, including the Scottish Executive.

Nursery Education

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to increase the provision of nursery places for three-year-olds living in rural areas.

Peter Peacock: The Programme for Government’s commitment to deliver a part-time quality nursery place for every three-year-old whose parent wants it by 2002 applies to rural areas as it does to urban areas. We expect to meet this target.

  The Scottish Executive provides a rural supplement for pre-school education provision (£6 million in 2000-01) to local authorities with significant rural areas. Almost 60% of three-year-old children in authorities in receipt of this rural supplement attend pre-school education. This is in line with Scotland as a whole.

Raptors

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will outline the process which will be used in preparing its response to the Hawk and Owl Trust Report; what timetable is envisaged; which organisations will be consulted, and whether it will make available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre all the submissions it receives on the matter.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive will not be making a formal response to the report A Study into the Raptor Predation of Domestic Pigeons , which was completed under contract to DETR to inform the work of the UK Raptor Working Group.

Raptors

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what process will be used in preparing its response to the UK Raptor Working Party report; what timetable is envisaged; which organisations will be consulted, and whether it will make available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre all the submissions it receives on the matter.

Sarah Boyack: I have asked Scottish Natural Heritage to provide formal advice to me on the recommendations in the UK Raptor Working Group report by spring 2001 and suggested they consult widely with interested organisations. The Scottish Executive will give careful consideration to the SNH response, and any other relevant material, before responding to the report.

Raptors

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to change the categorisation of racing pigeons to make them a protected species.

Sarah Boyack: No.

Raptors

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what methodology is employed by the raptor study groups contracted by Scottish Natural Heritage and whether it will review this method of assessing the raptor population.

Sarah Boyack: I understand from Scottish Natural Heritage that Raptor Study Group members collect data on numbers, breeding distribution and breeding success of raptors throughout Scotland. SNH licenses this work as part of its ongoing surveillance and monitoring of birds of prey in Scotland, and continues to review and develop its collection and analysis of data on all changes to the natural heritage.

Research Funding

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what value of research funding awarded by the Rural Affairs Department was awarded to bodies outwith Scotland in each of the last five years and what percentage of the department’s total research funding this represents.

Mr John Home Robertson: The value of research contracts awarded by the Rural Affairs Department to bodies outwith Scotland in each of the last five years and the percentage of the department’s total research budget this represents is provided in the table below:

  

 

1995-96


1996-97


1997-98


1998-99


1999-2000




Value (£000)


474


1,042


968


847


1,338




Percentage of total budget


0.9%


2.0%


1.9%


1.6%


2.5%




  UK Government Departments and Research Councils fund a variety of research organisations both in England and in Scotland and the Scotland Act enables this to continue.

Research Funding

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much of its total research funding has been awarded to bodies outwith Scotland, broken down by department and expressed in both monetary and percentage terms.

Henry McLeish: A complete answer to this question cannot be compiled without incurring disproportionate cost. However, relevant information relating to the three largest blocks of the Executive’s research expenditure is as follows:

  None of the £132.9 million of research funding disbursed by the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council has been allocated to higher education institutions outwith Scotland;

  2.5% (by value £1.34 million) of the Rural Affairs Department’s research contracts were awarded to bodies outwith Scotland;

  0.06% (by value £0.15 million) of the research budgets administered by the Department of Health’s Chief Scientist Office was allocated to bodies outwith Scotland.

  This information relates to 1999-2000.

Roads

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Scottish Enterprise or Lothian and Edinburgh Enterprise Ltd contributed to the non-capital costs of developing the A701 upgrade proposals being progressed by Midlothian Council.

Henry McLeish: This is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise and I have asked the chairman to reply to the member. A copy of the reply will be placed in SPICe.

Rural Affairs

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to implement emergency measures to deal with the current state of the dairy industry in Ayrshire.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive recognises the difficult times affecting dairy farmers in Ayrshire. This is why the dairy sector was included in the recent special aid package announced on 30 March. The position is being kept under review. However, it is important to recognise that the nature of European Union dairy regime and the tightly drawn state aid rules mean that it is difficult to provide direct assistance outwith the normal rules.

Rural Affairs

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many copies of Rural Scotland: A New Approach  were printed and how much it cost to publish and distribute this document.

Ross Finnie: 2,000 copies of Rural Scotland: A New Approach were printed. Since I launched the document on 22 May there has been a large demand and my officials have distributed over 1,400 copies. Total costs for publishing and distribution are £18,000.

Schools

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated value is of the outstanding repair and maintenance requirements of secondary schools in Hamilton North and Bellshill.

Peter Peacock: The overall management of their school building stock is a matter for individual education authorities. Detailed information of the kind requested is not held centrally.

Schools

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated value is of the outstanding repair and maintenance requirements of secondary schools in Kilmarnock and Loudoun.

Peter Peacock: The overall management of their school building stock is a matter for individual education authorities. Detailed information of the kind requested is not held centrally.

Student Finance

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what transitional arrangements would be put in place for continuing students were the recommendations of the Independent Committee of Inquiry into Student Finance implemented in autumn 2001.

Henry McLeish: As part of the £50 million package announced following the report of the Independent Committee of Inquiry into Student Finance, it has been agreed that personal contribution to tuition fees be abolished from autumn this year. This is a year earlier than recommended by the committee. This will apply to Scottish (and EU) full-time students already in further and higher education in Scottish institutions and those who start their course this year. These students will continue on the support arrangements which apply to them this year until they complete their course. Those who first enter higher education from 2001 will access the new student support and graduate endowment package which will provide targeted help for those who most need it.

Transport

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to encourage initiatives such as the Moray Fare Travel Scheme.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive welcomes discounted fares initiatives such as the Moray Fare Travel Scheme which promotes greater accessibility to public transport for young people. Some public transport operators already offer a wide range of pricing initiatives and we expect that further development will be driven by operators’ recognition of the potential commercial benefits in terms of increased patronage and revenue generation such initiatives can offer.

Voluntary Sector

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to set up a unit or agency to co-ordinate voluntary international aid efforts from Scotland.

Jackie Baillie: Responsibility for international aid and for the Government’s relationship with British voluntary organisations that work overseas lies with the Department for International Development. I recently met with George Foulkes MP at DfID’s offices in East Kilbride on 5 June to discuss our common interest in the voluntary sector in Scotland.

  A number of international aid/development agencies are based in Scotland. The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO), which receives support from the Scottish Executive, is assisting them to interface with DfID and to link with each other.

Warm Deal

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown by local authority area of the number of households receiving assistance through the Warm Deal programme including details of the level of grants awarded.

Mr Frank McAveety: A total of 38,604 households benefited from the Warm Deal in the year ending 31 March 2000, the most recent period for which figures are available. Local authorities improved 22,554 of their own houses. The number improved by each authority is set out below. Resources go to authorities as landlords: the tenants do not receive grant. 16,050 households received a Warm Deal grant from Eaga, whose expenditure is not recorded by local authority area. The average grant was £315.

  


Warm Deal as Administered 
by Local Authorities: Number of Households Benefiting:
1 April 1999 – 
31 March 2000




Council


Number of households


Council


Number of households




Aberdeen


672


Inverclyde


1,511




Aberdeenshire


925


Midlothian


322




Angus


580


Moray


484




Argyll and Bute


433


North Ayrshire


1,268




Clackmannanshire


636


North Lanarkshire


832




Dumfries & Galloway


398


Orkney


78




Dundee City


496


Perth & Kinross


-




East Ayrshire


887


Renfrewshire


586




East Dunbarton


421


Scottish Borders 


414




East Lothian


343


Shetland


74




East Renfrewshire


274


South Ayrshire


857




Edinburgh


800


South Lanarkshire


1,209




Falkirk


694


Stirling


291




Fife


2787


West Dunbartonshire


1011




Glasgow City


2809


West Lothian


124




Highland


255


Western Isles


83










Total


22,554




  Perth and Kinross Council is not participating in the local authority part of the Warm Deal.

Waste Management

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list all North of Scotland Water Authority waste water schemes which will discharge effluent into the sea and which are currently in the planning, design or construction stages, together with their estimated costs and completion dates.

Sarah Boyack: I am placing a copy of the information requested in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 6647).

Water

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what estimate has been made of the cost to (a) business and (b) the Scottish Executive of implementing the EU Water Framework Directive and whether it will make a statement on the timescale for the implementation of this directive and the general impact it will have on Scotland.

Sarah Boyack: The negotiations on the proposed EC Water Framework Directive are not yet concluded.

  The Government commissioned consultants to undertake a cost/benefit study of implementing the proposed directive in the UK. A copy of their report, Potential Costs and Benefits of Implementing the Proposed Water Resources Framework Directive, has been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 6683). The possible impacts of the proposed directive on business might include tighter controls on some waste water discharges, a system of controls on the abstraction and impoundment of water and the need to tackle environmental problems caused by diffuse pollution. Administrative, planning and monitoring costs would fall to central government and government agencies.

  The precise details of the timetable for implementation are still under negotiation. However, we currently expect that the requirement will be to phase implementation over the 10-16 years following adoption of the directive by the European Parliament and Council of Ministers, expected later this year. The Scottish Executive will consult extensively on its proposals for implementation. This will include consultation on regulatory impact appraisal, including costs.

Working Groups

Mr Keith Harding (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish, with regard to its Race Equality Advisory Forum, the criteria for selecting the individual members of the forum, its budget allocation and details of the number of times it has met so far.

Jackie Baillie: A number of organisations were consulted about the membership of the forum. In deciding on the membership I aimed to balance the experience, skills and backgrounds of the individuals with the need for the membership as a whole to cover the range of interests necessary to make the forum’s work a success. I look to individual members of the forum to contribute to the work of the forum so that it can reflect the views of communities and have access to wider networks; and have direct experience and understanding of the needs and experiences of the different minority groups in Scotland.

  The forum has met six times now in plenary, and the working groups have met on a number of occasions.

  No specific budget has been allocated for the forum; costs incurred are met from the Equality Unit’s budget for programmed expenditure.

Working Groups

Mr Keith Harding (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish, with regard to its Review of Councils for Voluntary Service, the criteria for selecting the individual members of the review group, its budget allocation and details of the number of times it has met so far.

Jackie Baillie: Members of the Steering Group to consider the Review of Councils for Voluntary Service were selected for their individual expertise and knowledge of the topic to be covered by the review, and their knowledge of the work of the voluntary sector. The group met five times – the final time being in January. Steering group members were entitled to claim travelling and other expenses if required.

Working Groups

Mr Keith Harding (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish, with regard to its Strategic Review of Executive Funding to the Black and Ethnic Minority Voluntary Sector, the criteria for selecting the individual members of the review group, its budget allocation and details of the number of times it has met so far.

Jackie Baillie: Members of the Review Group were selected for their individual expertise and knowledge of the voluntary sector and the topics to be covered by the review. Although the review has not been allocated a specific budget, the Executive will fund any consultancy work required. The group has had one meeting, which took place on 3 May, with a second due to take place at the end of June. Group members are entitled to claim travelling and other expenses if required.

Working Groups

Mr Keith Harding (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish, with regard to its Common Housing Registers Steering Group, the criteria for selecting the individual members of the steering group, its budget allocation and details of the number of times it has met so far.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The Scottish Executive invited representatives from the Chartered Institute of Housing, Shelter, Scottish Federation of Housing Associations, CoSLA and Scottish Homes to act as an informal steering group to consider the development of common housing registers. The group has met on three occasions. It does not have a budget allocation.

Working Groups

Mr Keith Harding (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish, with regard to its Single Social Tenancy Working Group, the criteria for selecting the individual members of the Working Group, its budget allocation and details of the number of times it has met so far.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The Scottish Executive invited representatives from landlord, tenant and housing professional interests to act as an informal steering group for the production of a model single social tenancy agreement. The group has met once so far. It does not have a budget allocation.